Automatic sprinkler system-alarm valve



Oct. 31, 1933. M. E. HALFORD AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM ALARM VALVE Filed 001;. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (Ittomeg;

Oct. 31, 1933. M. E. HALFORD AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM ALARM VALVE Filed Oct. 26, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 8H E. Halfiord (Ittorneg:

Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM-ALARM VALVE Marion Eugene Halford, Greensboro, N. 0.

Application October 26,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to control valves for automatic sprinkler fire extinguishing systems and more particularly to an improved control valve adapted foruse in connection with such systems to permit its operation either as a wet pipe system or a dry pipe system and with complete and proper automatic control of the alarm device usually associated with such control valves.

An object of the present invention is to pro vide an improved control valve in which the valve mechanism is so constructed and arranged as to assure automatic control both of the main conduit and of the auxiliary alarm conduit under all circumstances and permit the use of the same valve with the system operating as a wet pipe system and as a dry pipe system.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Two sheets of drawings accompany this specification as part thereof, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through the improved control valve showing the water driven alarm device diagrammatically.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross section taken on line 22 of Fig.1.

Fig.- 3 is a vertical cross section, similar to Fig. 1 but showing the valves in open position.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the air valve member.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the water valve member.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the interior of the valve casing showing the valve seats.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the re-setting plug member.

In connection with the protection of buildings by automatic sprinkler systems it has been found necessary heretofore to utilize two distinct systerns for buildings which are heated, or in which freezing hazards are absent, and buildings in which parts are not heated or in which freezing hazards are present. In the former it is entirely safe and practicable to use sprinkler systems in which water is maintained throughout the system. In the latter it is necessary to restrict the water to areas which are heated and to separate such areas from the unheated areas by a control valve, thus permitting the conduits in the unheated areas to be maintained without water to avoid freezing. In the latter, or dry pipe systems, air is compressed usually in the dry pipe part of the system tomaintain a pressure on the control valve, the release of which by the fusing of one of the sprinkler heads would release the water to extinguish the fire. The maintenance of the air pressure in such dry pipe systems is much more diflicult than the maintenance of a tight wet pipe system inasmuch as the air is a more elusive element and the stoppage of small leaks by rust is not obtained. It is desirable practice, therefore,

1931. Serial No. 571,230

where possible, that dry pipe systems be operated during the warmer months as wet pipe systems to permit the rusting tight of anysmall leaks.

The wet pipe system is also more desirable with a view to having water immediately at the fire rather than at a remote point in the system.

From the point of view of fire protection, however, it is quite important that all valves used in connection with a fire protection system shall be as far as possible always automatic under all circumstances and should require the minimum manual attention. With valves such as heretofore known it has been impracticable to convert a dry pipe system into a wet pipe system or vice versa without manual adjustment or arrangement of the control valves to adapt same to the particular use.

- In connection with dry pipe systems heretofore it has also been found that after the main supply valve has been opened, and until the control valve mechanism is manually reset, the alarm device, which in these valves is usually a water driven motor gong, continues to operate even after the break in the distributing system has been stopped. To avoid the continuance of the alarm until such resetting is possible the present practice is to include a manually operated cutoff valve in the alarm conduit for temporary use. Such a cut-off valve is, however, highly undesirable in that it introduces another element of danger inasmuch as failure to open such cut-ofl valve when the control valve mechanism is manually reset would leave the alarm permanently cut-off.

With a viewto avoiding the objectionable hazard and manual operations above described the present control valve provides a device permitting the use of the system as a dry pipe system or wet pipe system without any mechanical adjustment of the valves and automatically controlling the alarm conduit under all circumstances.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a valve housing or casing having an inlet port associated with a supply conduit 2 and an outlet port associated with a distributor conduit 25.

The inlet port terminates in a valve seat 3 over which is positioned a gravity controlled valve member 4 pivoted as at 6. The valve member 4'is provided adjacent its pivoted end with a lug 7 which restricts its raised position to a point short of balance so that valve member 4 is restricted at all times to positions from which it will naturally gravitate, when permitted, into 28 defined by an annular rib or flange 13, the upper face of which constitutes a second valve seat. A conduit 20 extends from annular chamber 8 to the exterior of the valve housing to permit the release of any pressure from chamber 8. The conduit 20 at its inner end is provided with a valve seat 30 controlled by a valve member 19 which is pivoted to a lever 31 supported by bracket 18 carried by flange 13.

Seated over flange 13 is a valve member 9 which, as will be noted, is substantially larger in area than valve 4. Valve' member 9 is pivotally carried by an arm 10 which in turn is pivoted to the main casing as at 11 and is provided on its remote end with a remote weight 12 adapted to hold arm 10 in vertical position when valve 9 is unseated from flange 13. When in seatedposition on flange 13 itwill be observed that valve member 9 holds valve 4 in seated position and also holds lever 31 in depressed position with valve 19 raised from valve seat 30, thus acting as a drain for chamber 8.

The weighted end 12 of arm 10 is loosely secured by a flexible member 29 to a flanged bolt 24 seated in the wall of casing 1.

An outlet 22 including acontrol valve 33 is positioned within the inlet port of the casing and a second outlet 21 is positioned withinthe casing proper immediately above arm 10 and at such position as to maintain within the casing the proper depth of priming water. Outlet 21 is provided with a control ,valve 34.

Preferably casing l is provided with an access port normally closed by a closure member 26.

A valve,,not shown, is positioned in supply conduit 2 adjacent the automatic valve structure.

The operation of the device willbe described briefly through its operation, first in connection witha dry pipe system as illustrated in Fig. 1

- and thenas a wet pipe system as it would normally operate following a fire until reset, or as it. would operate during the summer months, desirably to permit the rusting of any small leaks, and with a view to improved protection by having the water nearer the origin of the flre.

With the valve in position as'illustrated in Fig. 1 the air pressure in the distributor system and the upper part of casing 1 will maintain valve 9 in seated position, valve 4 in seated position and valve 19 in raised position.

Upon the fusing of a sprinkler head the air pressure in casing 1 will be relieved through conduit 25 and the water pressure in conduit 2 will raise valve 4 and valve 9 until weight -12 causes arm 10 and valve 9 to assume the position shown in Fig. 3. At the same time valve 19 will seat on alve seat 30, closing conduit 20 and water from conduit 2 will fill casing l and be discharged through conduit 25 and also through auxiliary conduit 5 to motor alarm 17. When the flre has been extinguished and the discharge through conduit 25 stopped by the replacingof the fused sprinkler head, valve 4 will gravitate back into closed position over valve seat 3 and conduit 5, thus automatically stopping the motor alarm and, without any mechanical or human attention to the .valve, will remain in position for automatic operation as a wet valve system as any further relief of the pressure in condiut 25 by the fusing of another sprinkler head would cause the passage of water through conduit 2 to again open valve 4 and again start the motor alarm.

Where it is desired, however, to replace the mechanism to its original condition a a d y p p system, all that will be necessary is to open valve 34 allowing water in casing 1 to be withdrawn to the level of conduit 21, leaving merely a priming quantity of water in the system, then unscrew flanged bolt 24 and by withdrawing the flexible connection 29, swing arm 10 to seat valve 9 over flange 13.

During this operation the valve, not shown, would be closed in pipe 2 and remain closed until air .pressure had been reintroduced in the distributor system, conduit 25 and casing 1.

Various modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art but within the scope of the present invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim: I

l. A sprinkler system of the type described, having a casing provided with a valve seat, a

counter-balanced valve pivoted in said casing to move toward and from said seat, a plug detach-' ably mounted in the upper part of the casing, and a flexible connection between said plug and the weighted end of said valve, whereby removal of the plug effects a pull upon the flexible member to reseat the valve after an unseating operation thereof. 7

2. An automatic sprinkler and alarm control valve comprising: a casing with inlet and outlet ports, a conduit leading from the casing to an alarm device, a valve arranged to gravitate from all possible positions in the casing into seated position over the inlet port and said alarmjconduit, a second counterweighted valve pivoted over saidflrst mentioned valve having a greater area than said valve, adapted when seated to divide the casing into two chambers and hold said first mentioned valve in seated position to close said inlet port and alarm conduit.

3. Sprinkler apparatus operating either as a wet or dry system comprising: a housing having main inlet and outlet ports adaptedto be connected to the supply and distributor conduits respectively, a conduit leading from the interior of the housing to an alarm device, a gravity controlled valve in said housing for the supply conduit, cooperative means on said valve and housing to restrict the movements of the valve at all times to positions from which it will gravitate to seal simultaneously both the inlet port and the alarm conduit, and means operable by air pressure in said housing, independently of said valve to hold the valve seated.

4. Sprinkler apparatus operating either as a wet or dry system comprising: a housing having main inlet and outlet ports adapted to be connected to the supply and distributor conduits respectively, a conduit leading from the interior of the housing to an alarm device, a gravity controlled valve in said housing for the supply conduit, cooperative means on said valve and housing to restrict the movements of the valve at all 'times to positions from which it will gravitate to seal simultaneously both the inlet port and the alarm conduit, a counterbalanced valve independent of the gravity controlled valve and dividing the housing into two compartments in one of which the gravity controlled valve is held seated by the counter-balanced valve when the latter is seated, and a valve operated by the counterbalanced valve to relieve the pressure in said compartment when the counterbalanced valve isseated.

MARION EUGENE HALFORD. 

